COST Principle: Avoid Messy Communication and Share Clear Ideas

Introduction

Have you ever tried to explain a complex idea, only to feel more confused as you spoke? It’s frustrating, right? This often happens when our thinking and communication aren’t aligned.

The COST principle is here to fill the gaps. It’s an effective way to streamline your thoughts and ensure that every piece of information is concise and powerful.

Core Concept of the COST Principle

The COST principle focuses on four key steps to improve how we express and transfer our ideas.

Clarify

The first step is to clarify the idea in your mind. If you are not able to identify the core message, no one else can.

When your thoughts are clear, it’s easier to organize them and communicate them effectively.

Ask yourself: What is the main point I want to convey? What is essential for my audience to understand?

Organize

Once your idea is clear, the next step is to organize your thoughts logically.

This step involves arranging your ideas in a structure that makes sense and is easy for others to follow. The goal is to create a flow that guides the audience smoothly from one point to the next.

Please refer to these communication frameworks to better organize information.

• SCQA Framework
• VSNC Framework
• SCR Framework
• FIRE Model
• FFC Technique

Transfer

The third step is transferring the organized information to your audience.

Tone and body language shape communication (refer to 7-38-55 Rule), choosing the right approaches for your message. When you are communicating to a group in a meeting, writing an email, or presenting in a public speech, please adapt the right approaches to ensure the message is understood by your audience.

Simplify

Complexity can easily confuse your audience and hide your main message.

After clarifying, organizing, and transferring your ideas, take time to simplify, along with body language, your choice of words matters.

For example, when explaining a technical incident to business teams or customers, avoid diving into technical details or system architecture. These audiences care more about the solution and the impact, not the technical explanation.

The takeaways:

• Focus on what matters most to them
• Cut out unnecessary jargon
• Use straightforward language
• Eliminate anything that distracts from the core message

Implementation and Scenarios of Using the COST Principle

The COST principle can be applied in various situations, from business meetings to casual conversations.

• In Business Meetings: Clarify your key message, organize it into logical sections, transfer it using a clear format, and simplify the content to keep your audience engaged.
• In Writing Reports: Whether it’s a project report or a client update, applying the COST principle helps ensure that your document is clear, well-organized, and easy to read.
• In Everyday Conversations: Even in casual settings, using COST helps make your ideas more understandable and prevents miscommunication.